Will County investigates five E. coli cases that may be linked to Homer Glen pumpkin farm

The Will County Health Department is investigating five confirmed cases of E. coli infection that may be connected to visits to Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm in Homer Glen, a popular fall destination in the southwest suburbs.^{1, 2, 3} No source of the illnesses has been confirmed.^{1, 2, 3}

Latest: samples sent to the state lab

A veterinarian has collected samples from the farm’s animals, and county environmental health staff collected bedding and surface samples, which are being sent to the Illinois Department of Public Health laboratory, FOX 32 Chicago reported Tuesday.⁴ Results are expected to take several days, said Kevin Juday, a spokesperson for the Will County Health Department.⁴

Officials collected about 200 visitor surveys over the weekend, which county and state health staff will review, FOX 32 reported.⁴ County health staff inspected the farm’s food service operations last week, and those operations remain open, Juday said.⁴

The farm said in a Facebook post Monday that the health department had approved it to keep operating, and that rides, attractions, food stands and vendors are open during regular hours, NBC Chicago reported.⁵ The petting zoo remains the only closed area.^{4, 5}

The cases involve Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, a type of the bacteria that can cause severe illness, according to the department.^{1, 3} The people who became sick live in Will, DuPage, Cook and Kane counties, CBS Chicago reported.³

The farm has voluntarily closed its petting zoo as a precaution and arranged for a veterinarian to collect samples from the animals for testing.^{1, 2, 3} The rest of the farm, including the pumpkin patch, remains open.^{1, 3}

What health officials are asking

Anyone who visited the farm on or after Sept. 29 and later had symptoms is asked to fill out a confidential online survey from the health department.^{1, 2, 3} Officials also urged people to wash their hands thoroughly and watch for symptoms, FOX 32 Chicago reported.¹

Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that can be bloody, and vomiting, and some people run a low fever.^{1, 3} They usually appear three to four days after exposure but can begin anywhere from one to 10 days later, according to the department.^{1, 3}

Most people recover within a week, but some infections lead to serious complications, FOX 32 reported.¹ Children under 5, older adults and people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk.^{1, 3}

The department said E. coli can spread through contact with animals or contaminated surfaces, and through contaminated food or water, according to The Herald-News in Joliet.² It said anyone with symptoms after visiting the farm should seek medical care.²

How the investigation began

The health department contacted the farm Wednesday, Oct. 21, about people who had visited earlier in the month and later fell ill, according to the farm.^{1, 2, 3} Health inspectors checked the farm’s food service areas and food vendors that day and found no problems, the farm said.^{1, 2, 3}

The department said it is working to learn how the infections happened and whether they share a common source.^{2, 3} Sean Conners, the department’s director of environmental health, said in a news release that the farm has cooperated.² “We are working closely with Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm, and the owners and staff have been fully cooperative,” Conners said, according to The Herald-News.²

The farm’s response

In a statement Friday, the farm said, “Testing is still under way, and no source of these illnesses has been confirmed.”^{2, 3} It said the petting zoo will stay closed until further notice.^{1, 3}

The farm said its petting zoo has staff on site at all times, handwashing stations at the entrance and exit, and pens that are cleaned daily, FOX 32 reported.¹ A co-owner told CBS Chicago, “We’ve never had any kind of issue like this with the animals in the entire history of the business.”³

The farm has operated since 1981 and closes for the season in the first week of November, according to CBS Chicago.³

Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike asked residents to rely on health officials for information.¹ “Speculation and misinformation can spread quickly, especially on social media,” she said in a statement, FOX 32 reported.¹